How do the bees affect us? (Anthrosphere)

If the honey bees were to be taken out there would not just be a loss of honey on your toast, supermarket shelves would start to thin out fast and food prices would rocket adding to the problem that already exists of famine and poverty. One third of commercial agriculture and farming relies on the pollination of bees, an alarming statistic when you think about the 30-90% losses in beehives. Things we rely on, on a daily basis that make up our meals and our economy. The value in New Zealand of the bees pollinating is estimated at four billion per annum. Daniel Paul part of National Beekeepers Association says “If bees are responsible for $4 billion of New Zealand's economy, and we allow bee death rates to reach levels found in other parts of the world, we're essentially playing Russian roulette with some of the biggest industries on which this country relies”.  

Figure 1: Crop values and pollination statistics
Source: http://burningbushnell.wordpress.com/

Losing the bees would mean a loss of a variety of foods, these shown in the figure above. Although some not completely dependent on honey bee pollination, we would see massive losses in a lot of these crops.  Not only does this mean less food for the human population but also habitats that live and rely on these crops will be badly affected.

The loss of food produced in crops will affect the world and the economy greatly. In poorer developing countries where a lot of the agriculture is produced as part of their main economic source, the loss of crops will not only lose this income but also create a food stricken environment. This occurring as the price of food will increase due to the lack of pollination. Famine, starvation will increase in poorer areas adding to an already existing problem. Jobs will be lost in the agricultural sections.

This is an issue that needs to be resolved the CCD has the potential to cripple the economy and create a famine. Einstein’s quote “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man” starts to ring a very important issue around the cause of the CCD, the world needs to see and hear the potential outcomes of this shortage of bees and start to raise awareness of the problem. Money hungry farmers and pesticide producers need to stop thinking about the present and start to think about a more sustainable future.

Thanks to Lou Vollebregt my research partner and friend.